Chicago – Acupuncture may be an effective treatment for symptoms such as heart rhythm disorders and postoperative pain and nausea, but it has not been studied after cardiac surgery until now. Blum Cardiovascular Institute This is the first study to investigate and demonstrate the feasibility and benefits of daily acupuncture treatment in a hospital setting after open heart surgery.
Published in JTCVS OpenThe Acupuncture After Cardiac Surgery (ACU-Heart) study found that acupuncture was practical, well tolerated, and had clinical benefits for patients undergoing heart valve surgery, including a reduced incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF).
“Cardiac surgery is life-saving, but it can cause physical discomfort and surgical side effects, such as atrial fibrillation (irregular heart rhythm), and can also have a psychological impact on patients,” said the lead researcher. Kim L. Feingold, Ph.D.A cardiac psychologist, Behavioral Cardiac Medicine Northwestern Medicine Blum Cardiovascular Institute “We know the mind and body are connected, so we’re always looking for ways to improve our patients’ experience and reduce the emotional impacts of heart disease, including depression and anxiety,” said a doctor at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
Acupuncture is Traditional Chinese Medicine It has been in use for over 2,500 years Believed Stimulates the nervous system. This treatment involves inserting thin needles into the skin at specific points on the body to affect the flow of energy and promote healing. acupuncture It has been shown to have analgesic, anti-inflammatory and anti-nausea effects.
In the ACU-Heart pilot study, patients with no history of atrial fibrillation (AFib) who agreed to undergo valve surgery were randomly divided into two groups: one group received standard care after surgery, and the other group received daily acupuncture treatments from the day after surgery until discharge from the hospital.
“Acupuncture treatment is done in each patient’s room. Northwestern Medicine Osher Center for Integrative Health“Acupuncturists coordinated timing with patients and their healthcare providers to ensure that acupuncture treatments would not interfere with regular medical care,” Dr. Feingold explains.
Dr. Feingold said she and other researchers hoped to answer three main questions through the ACU-Heart study.
- Would patients accept acupuncture treatment during a major event like heart surgery?
- Is it logistically feasible to provide daily acupuncture treatment to patients in a cardiac surgery setting?
- Does acupuncture affect medical outcomes such as atrial fibrillation or post-operative symptoms such as pain, nausea, stress, and anxiety?
The results were positive on all three fronts.
“We found that acupuncture after open-heart surgery was feasible in the intensive care unit the day after surgery, in this fast-paced environment, and was well tolerated by patients without side effects,” said Dr. Feingold. “The majority of patients had never received acupuncture before and were open to the treatment. Integrative Therapies Following surgery, patients reported that overall it was a comfortable and positive aspect of their recovery from cardiovascular surgery.”
Some nurses commented that patients felt more relaxed and calm after acupuncture treatment, she noted. “Future studies could also consider measuring the impact of acupuncture interventions on care teams,” Dr. Feingold says.
In their study, the research team found that acupuncture after cardiac surgery was associated with:
- Low incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) That’s a 58% increase. The incidence of POAF in the acupuncture patients in the study was 14% compared to 33% in the standard control group.
- Relief of pain, nausea, stress and anxietyPatients reported that these surgical side effects were alleviated with each acupuncture treatment.
- The time spent in intensive care is reduced. Patients who received acupuncture stayed in the intensive care unit for approximately seven hours less than study participants who did not receive acupuncture.
- Decreased need for antiarrhythmic drugs Upon discharge That’s a 68% increase. Approximately 10% of acupuncture patients were taking a heart rhythm medication (amiodarone) at the time of discharge, compared with 27% in the standard control group.
“Atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia in patients after cardiac surgery and increases the risk of stroke, heart failure, and blood pressure abnormalities. Managing atrial fibrillation and other postoperative symptoms is key to achieving good outcomes in cardiac surgery,” said the co-investigators. Patrick M. McCarthy, MD“This is a small study, but it shows great potential, and we’re excited by the idea that we have a potential intervention that is inexpensive, accessible, low risk and well tolerated by patients,” said Dr.
Dr. Feingold and Dr. McCarthy agree that larger, multicenter studies with a wider range of cardiac surgery patients are needed to better understand the severity and timing of POAF, as well as the effect of acupuncture on postoperative physical and psychological symptoms. Pain, nausea, depression, anxiety.
“We are excited to demonstrate the potential role of integrative therapies such as acupuncture in cardiovascular disease, including after cardiac surgery,” said Dr. Feingold. “While there is still work to be done, the ACU-Heart pilot study certainly shows great promise.”
This study was funded by a philanthropic donation from the Malkin Family Foundation and approved by the Northwestern University Institutional Review Board (#STU00201408).
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Learning Links: Acupuncture after valve surgery is feasible and promising for reducing postoperative atrial fibrillation: the ACU-Heart pilot study – JTCVS Open
